


Natural Enemies

by Silence_burns



Category: DC Extended Universe, DCU, Justice League (2017), Justice League - All Media Types, Suicide Squad (2016)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Missions, Mutants, Prison, Soldiers, but it's mostly just action related, nothing too explicit tho, there is some violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-14
Updated: 2019-04-06
Packaged: 2019-08-23 14:51:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 11,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16621091
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Silence_burns/pseuds/Silence_burns
Summary: When things get heated and the government pushes, Amanda  Waller has no other option than to get you out of the prison and gift you to Flag in hope a very delicate mission won't be a complete failure.





	1. Chapter 1

“Hello, captain,” you smiled brightly, watching your least favourite prison guard enter the giant hangar you have been kept in for the better part of your sentence.

Guards standing around your cage shifted uneasily, alert and ready to shoot if you dared as much as to move rapidly. Poor boys, long shifts could be hard on the nerves.

Captain Griggs winced, his hand coming to rub his injured, now bandaged cheek. You wished you had been standing those few centimeters closer and bitten his face off as you planned those few days ago. On the other hand, knowing he’d be left with a pretty nasty scar was not that bad either.

“You want a kiss on the other cheek too?” you teased, but didn’t move from the stone floor. “How inappropriate, captain. But it’s nothing new to you, is it?”

Much to your surprise and disappointment, he stayed quiet, gesturing to one of the guards near the exit. Casting some glares towards you, his face stayed unreadable, but you’ve known him long enough to feel it meant nothing good for you.

Your fake smile faded as you focused on finding a way out of anything they were preparing for you. You wished your hands weren’t tied and closely wrapped in such a tough fabric - a very effective way of preventing you from using your metahuman abilities and cutting your way out of the cage they’ve put you in. It was already emptied of anything you could use or hide and you had to admit all the guards kept an eye on you, making it way harder to resist and fight them. But well, who said it could stop you from making their lives a little harder?

Captain Griggs handed something to the other guard, but you caught only a glimpse of what seemed shaped like a gun, but was too far away for you to be sure. Did dear captain decide it was time to shut your mouth too? Well, you kind of had it coming…

Mentally preparing yourself to make it harder, you’ve noticed a stir around the entrance. Two other guards turned to whoever was coming and raised their guns, but were quickly shushed away by Griggs. He looked uneasy.

A man walked past him, completely ignoring the guards. At first you thought he was one of them, but his uniform looked different and wet, as if he just came in to the building from rain. For security reasons, you were being kept separate from the other prison building and inmates, probably in order to seal it down if you tried to escape. How thoughtful.

“Sir, I’ve told you we need a few minutes,” captain Griggs jumped to the man. It was so surreal to watch him lick someone’s boots, but still satisfying. You wished you could take a picture.

“A guest? You could’ve told me, I’d put some make-up on,” you laughed.

“Shut up!” captain sounded tense, but didn’t even look back at you.

The visitor ignored both of you, looking around the giant space. He probably counted the two rows of guards - the first one surrounding the cage, and second one standing on the stairs further away to have better view in case of shooting.

Griggs tried to stop him from coming closer to your cage, “That’s not safe, colonel, even the bars are not-…”

“Move,” was all the man said, casting the guard a cold look. He was now standing right in front of you.

Under his worn-out cap you’ve noticed intelligent, judging eyes. Standing up to meet him properly, you’ve made the guards move. You could feel eyes of the barrels resting on your back.

“What do I owe the pleasure?” you’ve asked with a raised chin.

“I’ve heard you’ve killed 12 guards last month,” you received instead of an answer. “Why?”

You shrugged, “Maybe I don’t really enjoy being raped in a dark corner, far from any cameras and basic human decency? Besides, it’s not like I didn’t warn them. They got what they deserved.”

“How adorable.”

“Does it mean you have an offer for me?” you shot in the dark, already feeling the rush of adrenaline. It had to be it, you’ve been taking jobs for the better part of your life and you could smell a new deal out from another room.

The Colonel cracked a smile. Captain Griggs behind his back cursed under his breath.

“My name is colonel Rick Flag and there’s actually a small chance you could be useful.”


	2. Chapter 2

“Useful? I really don’t like how that sounds,” you winced.

Flag didn’t seem to care. He stepped back, nodding shortly to one of the guards behind him.

You only had a moment to notice it was the same one Griggs gifted something to before a tiny dart was shot towards you. You jerked away, your reflexes kicking in. With a sharp sting of pain, it only grazed your arm, not enough to stick. It fell on the floor with a metallic sound. 

The second one was just a flash in the corner of your eye, and you didn’t manage to avoid it.

“You’re a bitch, colonel,” you’ve muttered, your words already slurred. Muscles gave up under you and the world shifted. Laying on the floor, you’ve cursed whoever developed sedatives.

You were aware of your surroundings, even when the guards entered your cell and pulled you out on a wheelchair, securing your limbs with thick stripes. Eyes were the only part of your body you were able to move, but since you didn’t black out completely, you were pretty sure your immobility wouldn’t last long.

“Better watch your back, colonel,” captain walked on your right while you were transported through the dusty, concrete corridors. It was a lovely ride, especially since you knew every damn corner and stain in this place.

“I don’t have anything to be afraid of,” Flag replied with amusement.

The more you got to know him, the more your interest raised. You weren’t human, he must have read your files many times and should be aware of your crimes, probably more than you were. And yet, he had the guts to look you in the eyes and not even flinch. Whatever he needed you for, it must have been important.

The rain poured on you, soaking you the moment your wheelchair left the building. If you could control your face, you’d curse the men around you. Of course none of them thought about an umbrella.

The mud was splashing under the wheels, staining your soaked clothes and lowering your poor mood even more. Your day was on the best route to be ruined completely.

On a diferent note, the tips of your fingers started to react to your will. A few more minutes and your ride would get way less calm.

You noticed you were being taken to one of the newest buildings, on the far side of the giant prison complex. By the look of it, and barely any security around it, you guessed it had very little to do with inmates. It was short, only one floor, and no windows visible from your perspective. Two guards opened huge doors before you. Sharp, white light blinded you for a moment.

A shooting range and a bunch of tense-looking people near a table set with a really nice collection of weapons was a surprise. It’s been months since your hands touched anything sharper than a plastic spoon.

You were left in front of the people supposedly waiting for you. You felt like a gift with no clue who would unwrap you. One of them was a dark-skinned woman with such a look in her eyes it made you wonder if she shouldn’t be an inmate too. Flag opened your restrains and walked beside her, making it clear who owned him.

“Don’t be shy, sweetie,” said the woman. “I know you can move already.”

“I’m flattered you know me so well,” you smiled, standing up and loudly cracking your legs as an excuse to check the state of your body. She didn’t even twitch. “But I’m afraid I can’t say the same thing, miss…”

“You’re not here to talk,” she cut you off roughly, gesturing to the table. “This is your only chance of stepping out of the prison walls before you rot in your cell.”

“Cute,” you said coldly. It’s only been a moment since you met her, but you promised yourself to kill her any chance given. You could even do it for free. “But I can’t do anything without my hands.”

“Take the cuffs off,” the woman ordered the captain.

“This is a bad idea,” he muttered, opening the lock. He was tense and you could almost taste his fear.

“It is,” you agreed gladly.

The moment your hands left the thick fabric and handcuffs, you grabbed the nearest blade from the table, putting it underneath his chin. He stopped breathing. Behind you, all the prison guards cocked their guns. Smiling, you looked Griggs in the eyes. Your hands still felt unsteady after not being used for so long, but you had just enough control to slice his throat before his buddies would create some new holes in you. And he knew that.

“I’m disappointed,” the woman sounded bored, but stopped the guards.

“What did you expect?”

“Something worth paying for.”

With one swift movement, you sliced your finger, dragging the blade through it, and turned  to her, throwing it. Before anyone managed to react, it sliced into the wall completely like it was made of foam. Only the handle sticked out, right next to the woman’s face. Flag pulled his gun out, casting quick glances between you and the blade.

“Is this worth your money?” you asked proudly, letting Griggs use the moment and run away.

“The hell was that?” Flag interrupted, visibly shocked and pale. The woman didn’t move. You wondered if she was actually a human herself. Maybe she was suicidal. Or just dumb.

“My offer,” you answered, watching him try to pull it out. It was stuck, but you prefered to watch him struggle. “What is yours?”

The woman ignored you. “Do you think it will suffice, colonel?”

“We’d need to have one of the bodies to make sure, but it looks promising,” Flag admitted, leaving the knife intact. He looked at you differently, with some kind of new-found respect and caution.

The woman was pleased. She moved towards you, looking interested at last. She reminded you of a cat that just noticed a prey worth hunting.

“Now we can talk. My name is Amanda Waller and I want you to kill a few monsters for me.”


	3. Chapter 3

Flag could feel the stress pilling up in him and pumping the adrenaline into his veins, but it was something he was used to. It was only natural to stress in a life-threatening situation.

But there was nothing natural in the thing standing in front of him right now. He thought he was ready for it, he could quote your files any moment, knew your biography probably better that his own - and yet, he got that close to dying here and there. The knife could slice his head off if you only chose to throw it a few centimeters to the left. Just like that and he would be gone.

Before he was brought to this place, Flag tried to think of how to approach you - after all, contact with metahumans was not something he was used to. He had been aware of their existence, but he preferred to avoid furthering his knowledge on such sensitive matters without a really good reason. It worked only up to the point when Waller gave him that reason - in form of an order, actually. Was he happy about it? Hardly. But at least he could set himself a goal for the nearest future and that was something he could work with.

Choosing a reasonable and open-minded approach sounded like a fairly good plan until the moment your knife buried itself in a wall up to the hilt. When Waller talked with you, he tried to pull it out, and failed. It was impossible, he knew those knives, he knew how sharp and strong the metal was, and there was absolutely no way he could repeat what he just witnessed. It was abnormal. Unnatural.

He looked at you and a part of him hoped you would decline Waller’s offer. Flag needed someone with your abilities, but having a real person under his command, looking just like any other human being, yet capable of ending anyone’s life so easily and unnaturaly, was a completely different issue. Especially since he was the one assigned to keep an eye on you and would, eventually, face the consequences.

“Alright,” you shrugged and his heart dropped. “Sounds cool with me. It’s been a while since I smelled fresh air. Like, truly fresh air, not this fishy, rotting flesh- like sad excuse of air on this whole damn island. And I want him dead,” you added after a moment, nodding towards the captain of the guards. He cursed.

“You’re in no position to make demands,” Waller reminded you coldly before turning on her heels and leaving the shooting range with a few of the men.

There was an awkward silence that followed when she left you with Flag and two soldiers that looked nothing like prison guards, so you assumed they must have been his people. The distant, heavy sound of rain dropping on the metal roof made the situation even weirder. She didn’t seem like a trust-worthy person, and yet she left you with just three soldiers as if she was so certain they could handle you. You told her you would act nice, but now you were getting second-thoughts.

You glanced at Flag with a bit of amusement. He seemed weary and so uncomfortable it almost made you laugh.

“So you’re the lucky one?” you guessed.

“I suppose so,” he said with a mixture of fatigue and caution, eyeing you intensively.

“How did you piss her off so much she decided to assign you the worst job?”

Flag looked taken aback for a second. “She didn’t have much of a choice.”

That sounded reasonable. Waller didn’t tell you many details, but her situation looked tense. If she couldn’t solve it with an army of soldiers and had to look under rocks to find you, it must have been something serious.

“So, what do we do now? Can we go? I absolutely hate this place,” you admitted, waving your hands freely. It was such an amazing feeling to be able to use them again.

Flag tensed again, darting his gaze from your face to them. Right, given your latest show off, it may not be the wisest to play on his nerves.

“I’m alright, I won’t do anything stupid,” you quickly promised. “I want to get out of here as fast as I can, okay? I really do.”

Flag considered your words for a moment, not any less tense or cautious. He finally gestured to the table. “I need to know what you can do first.”

It didn’t escape your notice that his men fixed their grips on the guns when you approached the table. It wasn’t a perfect situation, but not the worst start either. You could make it work, hopefully. It’s still better than staying in the cell.

Your eyes laid on the set of beautiful, custom made swords with a thin cavity through the edge of the blades. All it took was to put your finger on top of the little bump near the handle to let the blood drip down and cover the whole edge. You missed them so much.

“What exactly do you want me to do?” you asked. “Waller wasn’t specific as to why you or your boys can’t kill the monsters.”

“We can’t,” Flag replied shortly, with a sharp tone hiding in his voice. “We tried. Bullets and knives don’t work on them.”

“Why?”

“If we knew, we wouldn’t need you.”

“Or maybe you know full well and that’s why out of all the people you chose me.”

“There are no people to choose from.”

“Do you really think I didn’t hear about the people like me the government is trying to bend to its will and use for the dirty work? I may specialise in assassinations, but collecting information always pays off in the end, Flag. And my sources say you’re bullshitting me.”

He didn’t like the direction of the conversation. Not only because you weren’t supposed to know that much (after all, Waller’s ideas and plans weren’t of public notice) but because you seemed way more cunning and intelligent than he expected and was comfortable with. He had to remind himself you were a convict, a murderer and above all - not a human.

“There are no people like you,” he said. “You’re not people.”

A shadow of an emotion he didn’t recognize rushed through your face, but quickly faded when you pushed it back, tightening your lips into a thin line.

“Then shoot me,” you snarled with a threat.

He looked taken aback, two other men moved back a little. “What are you-…”

“Shoot me,” you repeated, locking your gaze with his. “And better hurry. I’ve heard metahumans can be really fast and dangerous.”

They were still unsure, although Flag pointed his gun at you as well. At this point you weren’t even faking your anger, the whole day has been going worse with every hour. You were sure they could see you had been serious. And dangerous. A few meters of empty space was standing between you, with nowhere to hide. The exit from the building was behind their backs. All they needed was a little push.

You marked a jump to the left, blades still in your hands. Your blood was already covering their edges.

Time slowed down for you, adrenaline pushing you forward with all the force you needed and missed dearly. Shots sounded deafingly loud, but the acoustics of the shooting range turned them down a little. First bullet missed you, already sprinting to the right. The second you sliced like a piece of paper. Your blood made it easy and almost soundless. Focused entirely on Flag, you did it again, earning one step of the space. And then another.

Everything stopped when you made the last jump, pushing his gun away and putting one of the blades on his throat. You’ve made sure he separated you from two of his men. You were too close to let them shoot, they wouldn’t risk Flag’s life.

He was tense and angry, but not scared, which was a pleasant surprise. He was so close to pushing and hitting you, you could almost feel his fist locking with your jaw. He was a soldier after all, and thankfully, his newest orders were to work with you.

“You’re right, Flag,” you said, this time without the anger - it seemed to vanish once you made sure you still had the skills from before. “I’m not a human. And that’s why you owe me some respect, because trust me, I value it way more than you think. And I don’t like lies. They make me sick. So next time you jeer me, remember that I willingly agreed to work with you. And that I never once disrespected you, soldier. So who’s more human?”

There was a pause when you stood so close to him to count his eyelashes. He seemed to think hard on an answer, but he might have as well been planning how to best disarm you, you didn’t know him that well after all. Something in his posture changed. When you moved your sword back, he stepped calmly away, forming a little space between you. He gestured to his men to put their guns down. He must have been respected among the troops, because they listened to him without a word.

“You cut through the bullets,” he stated with some sort of respect in his voice. “I thought it worked only in crappy movies. That’s impressive.”

“Is it what you needed to see?”

“Even more. But next time you pull something off like that, I’m going to break your arms the moment you raise a hand on me.”


	4. Chapter 4

You felt way better in your old clothes, even though they obviously weren’t cleaned since you got caught. The prison diet was far from pleasant and it made you lose some weight, but as far as Flag could guess, you were still physically in shape. He had no doubts about your skills, not after what you showed him.

You took a deep breath once you stepped out of the prison walls, the guards still watching you closely. Flag didn’t rush you, it was the first time you were out in months. It was hard to read your expression - all Flag noticed was the way you eyed the escort and him. You didn’t wait for any orders, going straight to the helicopter. The rotor blades started, pushing the dust and old leaves off the ground to swirl in circles. 

Flag recognized a cold shoulder when one was meant for him. You were angry and had every right to be.

“All clear, sir!” reported one of his people, a soldier named Mike. They’ve been thrown on missions together for five years now and worked well together.

“Copy that.”

Flag closed the door behind himself, sitting opposite to you. Inside, the deep howling of the machine seemed a little less deafening, but was still uncomfortable. Gaining altitude, the windows absorbed your attention. The rain blurred the outlines of Belle Reve prison, but Flag was sure you could still recognize most buildings. He got curious if you would use that knowledge once you were put back there.

When the island was just a little spot on the horizon and you still didn’t pay any attention to him, it became hard to ignore you were still mad. He shouldn’t care that much, but didn’t want to ruin the mission. After all, it required working cooperation, and moods could make it harder. And maybe, just maybe, deep inside Flag felt a little bad. He hated to have a thorn in his side.

“You know it was a test,” he finally broke the silence, out-shouting the noise.

You must have heard him, but he got no reaction.

“I had to find what you’d do,” he continued. “How prone you are to violence.”

“I’ll be more if you don’t stop chit-chatting me,” he finally earned an icy cold look from you.

“I want to make things clear. There’s no need to use that venom.”

“Maybe you’ll choke at last.”

“Venom doesn’t work that way.”

“Do you want to try mine?”

Flag slowly counted to ten backwards. It didn’t help. It never did and yet he still tried it from time to time. Especially around such annoying people - he seemed to be surrounded by them lately.

“I won’t talk about this anymore. I just needed to be sure.”

“ I already gave you my word.”

“ The word of mercenary?” Flag laughed bitterly. “Please…”

“Maybe words and promises don’t matter to you, colonel, but I never break mine. Now, do you want something from me before you set me on your enemies?”

It wasn’t perfect, but at least he got you talking.

“In about two hours we’ll meet the rest of the team. We’ll drive to the place we need to infiltrate and capture the owner alive.”

“Is this where I should ask what’s the issue a team of grown men couldn’t handle?” you raised an eyebrow.

“The owner is a scientist. He used to work for the government, but his projects have been shut down a few years ago. He didn’t like that much, so he continued them off the radar, in his mansion. They are the problems.”

“Monsters?”

“Beings immune to death by any methods we’ve tried so far. The government could nuke the place, but we need Santino alive, he needs to answer a few questions.”

“I love how you short-cut things, colonel. You should write poetry,” you sighed with amusement.

Flag frowned. “Any problems?”

“Absolutely none. I just deeply admire how you avoided to admit that the gov is a greedy bitch and wants Santino’s experiments exclusively, before any other party gets curious about the immortal soldiers.”

The noise in the cabin didn’t change, but both of you instantly felt the tension in the small space, as if taking a deeper breath could break the last illusions of balance.

You’ve studied Flag’s face. It was obvious you were right. Should you have kept it to yourself? Probably. Did seeing his shocked and infuriated face make up for his behaviour at the shooting range? Definitely.

Flag wanted to punch you. Or himself maybe, he wasn’t sure. The tactics of telling you as little as possible proved to be a complete failure, both now and back at the prison. Even Waller’s anger once she finds out you guessed everything wasn’t as bad as seeing you smirking right in front of him, with cold satisfaction after repaying him.

“Alright. Now we’re even,” he nodded, surprisingly amused.

“Are you sure?” you asked with fake innocence, clearly pleased with how much you played him.

“We better be. I just want to close this mission and free myself from you.”

“Same.”


	5. Chapter 5

The wind was pushing you around until you walked far enough from the helicopter not to feel it. The dizziness that appeared during the flight eased a lot once your feet hit the solid, although muddy, ground.

Tiny droplets of rain poured from the darkened sky, sticking to your skin and hair, dampening it quickly.

“This way,” Flag gestured towards what appeared to be a military base, set up a few weeks ago. You got jealous of his cap. He shouldn’t need it, it’s not like he had much hair anyway.

Soldiers were running through the camp side, everyone occupied with something but still restless. Gazes stick to your back as you rushed through the crowd and never ending chain of cars, trying not to lose Flag while maneuvering around the puddles.

“Stay there, I just need to check something,” he told you, stopping near one of the bigger trucks, currently being loaded with crates and gear. The mud was splashed high on its sides, but the rain was working on removing it already.

You waved to the soldiers picking up stuff near you, which made them look down and pretend they weren’t staring just moments ago and trying to figure out who exactly were you. Or maybe they knew and that’s why they looked so suspicious. Everyone seemed busy and completely unaware of the rain.

Before you got desperate enough to find a nice cozy place to hide from it, a surprisingly familiar voice came to you from somewhere in the back. It took you a puzzled moment to place it, but once you did, a wide grin sneaked its way onto your face.

You jumped on the man’s back, pulling his head hard up.

“I missed you, Floyd!” you laughed into his ear as he wiggled underneath you.

“Get… Off!”

You got thrown to the right once he peeled your hands off his neck. Floyd turned aggressively back and then froze when  he recognized you.

“What the hell?” Flag pushed his way to you, already regretting leaving you alone.

“Wait, you’re really here?” Floyd laughed, completely ignoring the colonel. “I thought you were dead!”

“I hoped you finally got what you deserved too.”

Flag moved his eyes from you to Floyd and back, confusion clear on his scruffy face. A few soldiers stopped loading the truck and watched you, hoping for some entertainment.

“You know each other?” Flag finally asked with disbelief, wiping his face.

“Of course, I almost chopped his head off twice,” you admitted proudly.

“It was one and a half,” Deadshot reminded you. “I was drunk the second time.”

“Wasn’t my fault.”

Flag waved at you to stay quiet.

“Just so we are clear - are you two going to finish your mercenary slash psycho business there or can we just move on without any more casualties?”

“I’m all good,” you backed off. The thought of having someone familiar around you, even if it was Deadshot out of all the people, warmed you and made you forget about the weather for a moment.

Flag didn’t look convinced, eyeing both of you suspiciously. “I walk away for half a minute and shit breaks loose,” was all he muttered though.

Your smile grew only wider when he walked back to the officers near the other truck. He couldn’t help but look over his shoulder even while discussing about the transport. The rest of the soldiers whined, hoping for some action.

“I really thought you were dead,” Deadshot whispered, tugging on some canvas over a crate.

Leaning over the side of the truck, you pushed your wet hair from your face.

“I will be unless you tell me what the hell is going on here. And why are you here? Is this the Suicide Squad kind of a mission?”

“Not really, this whole mess is going on for at least a week now and I’ve been brought in only a few days ago in hopes I’d help sort it out.”

“Guess you didn’t,” you couldn’t help but notice.

“Thanks for stabbing my ego.”

“I just thought you were the kind of a guy they call in desperation.”

“They did. Geez, if only you saw it…”

Deadshot looked around, making sure no one was listening. The roaring sound of helicopter flying over your heads in minute intervals begun to be annoying.

“That was ridiculous,” he whispered, leaning closer to you. “I’ve put four bullets in their heads, in their hearts, and nothing. I’ve seen so many men die, shooting them, burning them till the end…”

“Who is ‘them’?,” you shook your head, not understanding a word.

Flag chose exactly that moment to call for you. He was close enough not to believe you didn’t hear him. Taking a step back, you seen Floyd mouth a word that looked like ‘monsters’, but you weren’t sure you guessed it right.

You were supposed to be the monster here. What else could hide in those bushes?

The darkness of a spreading night felt uncomfortable and much darker than you were used to. The overwhelming noise of several groups of people running around, moving gear and regrouping didn’t feel familiar and secure. Under the rush and organisation, you’ve noticed the weariness and tension in people’s movements, as if they were constantly in anticipation of something greater, wilder to come. Something even they weren’t used to meeting face to face with.

“I really don’t like this place,” you muttered to Flag walking fast on your right as you crossed another small camp on your way to a badly illuminated, vile building with greenish stains growing on the walls.

“None of us do, sweetie.”

“Can you at least tell me some details? I could really use some before diving into the unknown.”

He gave you a tight-lipped smile, opening the door for you. The bad light only made the dark circles under his eyes more prominent.

“Guess I don’t have much of a choice.”

The room was dusty and filled with a stench of rotting, wet wood. A big table was set but no chairs could be seen. Flag walked to a cabinet and opened it with a key, taking out a few documents.

Putting them on the table, he gestured for you to come closer. You recognized the map, probably of the area around you, marked with a lot of red circles and annotations in lazy, barely readable handwriting.

“This is where we are right now,” Flag pointed to a red triangle on the left. “And this is the residence we have to get inside. Starting from this point, about a mile from our position, is where the trouble begins.”

Bright red markers and many angry crosses lined far in both sides. Chills run down your spine.

“What’s behind that line?”

“The… experiments I already told you about, or at least part of them. We have not been able to penetrate this area further than half a mile before we were found and attacked. None of the conventional methods worked on those creatures so far.”

Deadshot’s words worked their way into your mind.

“What do they look like?”

“Humanoid, no distinctive features. They move fast, engage in a fight immediately. We’re trying to work out the way they know who to attack, because we haven’t seen any of them have eyes, but there’s plenty of possibilities to cover - we don’t even know what senses they do use, it could be smell, sound, heat…”

“Flag,” you stopped the flood of words, so unusual for him. “How bad is it?”

Hovering over the map, he breathed slowly, but you knew it was just a face meant to calm him and hide what was really buzzing underneath the shell. His hands gripped the edge of the table so hard the knuckles lit white.

“So far we’ve lost 12 men. Many more are injured,” Flag finally spit out. “None of those bastards died.”

You nodded to yourself, a clearer image formed in front of you. That’s why there was such a rush. If even Deadshot’s skills couldn’t help, more drastic and desperate measures had to be taken. Like getting a monster on the loose.

“My skills are… slightly different from what you think,” you admitted, staring at your hands. “But I’m more than willing to check if they are enough.”

The distant roaring of helicopters thundered over your heads. The lamp’s light shook slightly, casting shadows over the room.

Flag nodded, not finding the right words. He wasn’t good with them anyway, he usually stuck with using as little as he could not to phrase things wrong. It worked for the better part of his life.

“Thank you,” was all he managed to say, but there was more to that, and you both knew that. Nothing would stop you from refusing to work with him if you only decided to.

Your fingers itched, the blood circulating underneath your fingertips, warm and needy.

“Suit up, Flag. I’m gonna get your ass on the other side.”


	6. Chapter 6

The clouds were low and heavy, dripping with sticky, warm rain. Nothing seemed to change in this weather - you had a feeling it would stay like this forever, long after you were gone.

It was a strange place to be, covered in a thick fog and deep shadows looming from the trees and bushes. It was difficult to see through the forest, even with the light, and nothing could erase the feeling of hungry eyes on your back.

“In position,” you muttered, crouching in the mud.

Your hands were cold and wet. If only you could, you’d gladly accept the gloves one of the soldiers offered you back in the camp. But you needed to have your hands free and the blades sharp, for you were on your own deep in the wild.

“Copy,” Flag’s voice answered on the radio. 

They were somewhere behind you, soldiers with their rifles and machine guns, but the thought didn’t make you any happier. If the guns could solve their problems, you wouldn’t be there, hiding in the dark, waiting for the enemies to sense you.

According to the maps, you couldn’t be more than a mile from the target, and usually the failed experiments of the doctor’s would already find any intruders that dared to cross their territory. Flag told you all about it, or at least as much as he knew from those short, violent fights followed by quick retreat to the camp.

But they weren’t there.

You run through the thick bushes, mud covering your legs, and there was nothing alive in sight. You stopped again, hiding behind a short, bulky tree. You knew the soldiers, along with Flag and Deadshot, were following you half a mile behind to give you time and space to see if your so-called powers would be a match for the disgusting, invulnerable pieces of flesh guarding the mansion. It was only rational that you were alone. If you failed, the soldiers would be able to retreat without any more casualties. You were nothing more than a convict and much less valuable than Special Forces.

“Still nothing,” you updated Flag, looking around.

He cursed before ordering the group to go a little further. You knew exactly what he’s been thinking. How come you were almost halfway through without any problems if it all wasn’t a trap?

Just as it crossed your mind, you felt the hair on your arms stand up.

“Enemy spotted!” you shouted jumping back. You were no longer alone.

Eyes flashed in the darkness. The forest was still silent and no sound stirred the thick cloud of the void. The fog swirled over the muddy puddles, fooling the eyes. But you held your gaze up, focused entirely on the creature.

Pale skin was covered in dirt and mud, making an almost natural camouflage. Saliva dripped from too many teeth packed in a too small mouth. Could it be taken for a human? Maybe, but not from up close.

Without any sound, it jumped straight towards you, long, bloody arms stretching in a sharp motion. Swiftly, you cut it with one of the swords, sliding on the right.

The mud splashed as you turned, not daring to lose the creature in the darkness. You could hear Flag barking sharp orders on the radio, but all that mattered was the perfectly silent abomination crawling in the fog.

You weren’t sure how big it was, for it was crouching low like an animal, despite its legs not being made for it. It’s limbs were longer than you expected and one of the claws managed to scrape you, which you only started to feel now.

The lack of any sounds except for the rain was deafening. There wasn’t a single growl, not a single bark nor a word. Your breath echoed loud.

You let more of your blood drip along the blades. You didn’t trust the rain, constantly washing over you.

You couldn’t see the creature’s wound well in the fog, and your heart was pounding the adrenaline through your veins.

You moved swiftly, marking a cut from the left. The creature lunged in the opposite direction, but a tree got in its way, distracting it for a moment long enough for you to slash again. A deep gash formed on its head, blood run over its eyes. Not letting it back down, you pushed it further. It slipped, it’s wounded leg broke under it, making a gap on its defence. The head came off clean, in a perfect cut that wouldn’t work without your blood. It separated the body easily, almost effortlessly.

Catching your breath, you didn’t let your guard down. Checking on the body, you made sure it was dead and planned on staying that way.

A smile formed on your water dripping lips. “Flag, I made it, it works…”

You went silent, finally focusing on the sounds on the radio. Further in the bushes, you could hear rifles shooting.

Color left your face as the realization hit you.

“Flag, what is happening there?” you asked to the radio, but all you could hear back were mens shouts and more gunshots.

Your first thought was to rush back to them, especially now that you were sure you were able to kill the monsters. But on the other hand…

You were alone, no supervision over you. Sure, you still had the bomb planted in your neck, but if Flag died without using it…

“Damn it.”

You were so bad at being bad.

Jumping over the disgusting, beheaded body, you rushed through the fog and bushes in the direction of the sounds. Following them wasn’t hard, for the closer you got the louder they were.

The question was - what would kill you first - a stray bullet or a monster dropping on your back?


	7. Chapter 7

“Stay in position!” Flag shouted to his men, desperately trying to keep everyone alive.

A monster jumped at him from the open, not even trying to hide. The bullets shredded its body, but never stopped it for long. Just like in his worst nightmares, Flag found himself shooting one enemy after another, never missing, but never killing any of them. One after another, they came from the darkness, unstoppable and inhuman with their lack of fear and pain…

“Backs together, don’t let them divide you!” he kept shouting, but didn’t dare turn around and see to the rest of his team. One moment of distraction could cost him his life. 

“Flag, coming from the south!” he heard you through the radio, your voice almost muffled by the chaos around him.

He shot a quick look at that direction, but he couldn’t order soldiers to stop shooting there, they would all be overtaken in a flash. The monsters just kept coming, no matter how much they tried to keep them away…

A body crashed into him, sending him to the ground with a hard thump. Flag’s head hit the ground hard enough to make the stars visible despite it being mid day.

Dripping red teeth opened to bite his face off.

Hot blood splashed on his face as the head was cut off right before that. Flag pushed the convulsing body off of him, immediately getting up and reaching for his gun, adrenaline making images flash before his eyes.

You suddenly appeared in front of him, turning his face to look you straight in the eyes.

“Shoot me and I’ll shove that gun up your ass,” you promised before jumping to the right, where Deadshot was putting one mag after another in a creature that wouldn’t stop crawling to him.

You slash your hand, smudging your blood over the blade before killing the creature. You didn’t stop to watch it. Diving between the soldiers, you run to the creatures in the fog cutting, dodging and whirling around, trying your best not to get surrounded.

“Got your back!” Deadshot yelled, stepping in behind you. Bullets couldn’t kill the creatures, but at least they slowed them down, earning you more time.

“Regroup!” Flag ordered to the rest of his men.

The wounded were taken to the center of the small circle, while the rest watched the bushes. It took you a few more minutes with the help of the soldiers to finish off the wave of creatures, some more inhuman than the others.

You stood tense, watching the area around you. The rain didn’t stop pouring and hitting the leaves, creating a lot of background sounds you wished weren’t there. The creatures moved quietly, but you still hoped to hear them coming this time. Terror was freezing your chest every time you thought you’d seen one more misshapen mass of semi-human parts, stitched together by a mad scientist. Appropriate number of limbs were attached to the right places, but bent and twisted in a way no human would ever use them.

You jumped, almost cutting Flag in half when he approached you.

“Woah, careful with that,” he held his hands up, coming to your left. “Don’t wanna get any more holes than I already have.”

You’d crack a smile if you weren’t so exhausted. Your stay in prison didn’t keep you in shape after all.

“How many did we lose?” you asked, almost not recognizing your own voice. It was hoarse and stranded and you took the offered bottle of water thankfully.

Flag raised an eyebrow at the use of “we”. It was a surprise to see you familiarize with the soldiers you didn’t even know. He’d never think you’d consider them anything more than meat.

“Two. Some are wounded, but they can make it to the mansion. Besides, what the hell was that?” he asked, anger raising in him suddenly. “You could have been shot!”

“I warned you, but no one picked up the radio.”

“The plan was to get someone, anyone, to the mansion and at least see the security-”

“If I did that, you’d all be dead!”

“We could have retreated-”

“Don’t act like a bigger fool than you are, Flag, we both saw you were surrounded. How many more have to die for you to-”

“Easy, tiger,” Deadshot slapped you on the back of your head, making you spill some water. He grabbed the bottle from you and finished it in a single gulp. “That was a helluva mess.”

“Yeah, no shit, Sherlock,” Flag spit, crossing his arms. He was still frowning, but Deadshot kept ignoring his moods as always.

The bottle was thrown at him. Flag noticed the red streaks on it and looked down at your hands. “Was that all really necessary? Come on, let me bandage that,” he fished a small package from on of his pockets.

“I’ll be fine, there’s no need to.”

“Alright, tiger, we know you’re tough, but that really doesn’t look well,” Deadshot grabbed your arms and forced you to get closer to Flag. “Hell, that must hurt. Can you even move your fingers?”

“I’ve had worse, okay? Look, it’s not- OH MY GOD. I’ll kill you both.”

Flag poured more disinfecting liquid on your wounds, making you hiss and try to escape, but Deadshot held you strong. You tried to stomp on his foot, but he moved away quickly.

“You need to be careful, you know?” Flag added while bandaging it as gently as he could. He was frowning, but the anger was gone from his features. He seemed worried, which surprised you even more.

“It’d be a lot easier if the rain wasn’t pouring so hard, I had to smear the blades over and over again while usually a few drops would make do.”

“How does it actually work? You know, the thing you do?” Flag looked at you quickly before turning his eyes back on the bandages. “It’s the first time any of those… creatures stayed dead.”

“I don’t really know. I just will my blood to divide whatever I choose,” you shrugged it off.

Deadshot let go of you once Flag was finished. Your hands hurt, but you were used to it by now. The bandages looked professional, as if Flag had a lot of experience putting together awful wounds, which he probably had. It was a shame you’d have to ruin it the next time you needed to use your abilities.

Deadshot laughed. “Yeah, I remember you cut through an inch thick metal door, just like that, back at Atlanta, where we had to finish off that one guy-”

“Yeah, I remember,” you cut him off quickly, suddenly and unexplainably embarrassed of your past. Sure, the guy deserved it, but it was a really long story to explain and time was one thing you didn’t have at the moment. “Come on, we need to move. More will come.”

Flag nodded, still watching you with an unreadable expression. He turned to the regrouping soldiers and started ordering them around.

Deadshot shot you a smirk.

“What?” you asked with confusion.

“Nothing, tiger. Watch out on your stripes.”


	8. Chapter 8

Flag marched near the end of the column of soldiers, moving through the thick bushes and low hanging branches that extended over their heads, like arms trying to grab them.

The last bit of daylight passed some time ago. It didn’t make much of a difference since the whole day had been dark and gloomy, with clouds covering the sky in a thick layer. The rain still poured down, making the deep mud even harder to pass. The soldiers were tense, and every sound made them jump, ready to fire. They’ve taken a lot of ammo, but it was quickly running out. The creatures, whatever they were, could take loads of shots and not even stumble. It played on people’s fears and Flag was glad the team was made entirely of professionals, some of which he’d teamed up in the past. 

Sadly, that was what made this whole operation so much sadder - every death counted and bodies were hard to leave behind.

They’ve been attacked twice in the last half an hour, both times without any warning or sign of incoming enemy. They were quiet, and didn’t make any sound, even while being shredded with bullets. One moment you were walking ahead, watching your step, and the next one you had a monster on your back, chewing your face off. Four men had already lost their lives that day.

The rest of them were saved by you, and Flag couldn’t even comprehend how much that was making him feel better. This mission had been a living hell for him these few weeks, draining his energy and sanity when no progress was made. Now he finally had a weapon that actually made a difference.

Flag glanced at you quickly, suddenly feeling guilty. Calling you a weapon, even if it was the main reason you’ve been brought there, felt inappropriate. After all, you’ve been the one dealing with all of the creatures, no matter how many came and how tired you must be by now. You’ve been limping from one of the many injuries. None of them were fatal, but you were worn out and tense. Flag admire your lack of whining, it was definitely what he had expected picking you up from Belle Reve.

You noticed him staring at you. “What? I’ve got any more guts on my face?”

“No, I just… You’re okay, really.”

“Doesn’t look like you are, though.”

He shrugged, looking around the bushes. You and him were closing the line. He had a good excuse to look around, and yet he couldn’t use it.

“Don’t worry, we’re gonna get there soon and you will finish your sacred mission, whatever it truly is.”

“I’ve already told you everything I know,” he seemed almost hurt. You cracked a smile.

You walked in silence for a while, both deep in your own thoughts. You tried to make sense of the things you’ve encountered and killed. You couldn’t shake off the feeling of unease and worry. The creatures seemed almost human at some point. Wicked and disgusting, but some of their features strike a familiar note. But they couldn’t be human, right?

“Flag,” you’ve started quietly, making sure you were out of hearing range of the others. “What do you think about all of this? I didn’t take part in government-led military operations, but this mess feels wrong.”

“For once I agree with you,” he nodded, choosing his words carefully. “But I try not to think too much about it, I’ve learned it’s the safest way of staying sane. Waller wants us to bring her the doc and his work and that’s what we’re gonna do.”

“Sure, but… monsters? Seriously?”

Flag chuckled. Laughter felt strange after so many hours of tense combat-readiness.

“You wouldn’t believe what I’ve been sent to in Midway City a few months ago. Witches, gods and creepy monsters all over the streets.”

You shivered. “My cell at Belle Reve doesn’t sound so bad anymore.”

“Don’t worry, you’re doing great, seriously,” Flag found himself saying, despite usually not being one to spill compliments. “I'm… glad you didn’t leave us back there to die. Really appreciate that.”

He took you by surprise. Flag looked mildly embarrassed too from what you could tell, but you didn’t have much time to dwell on his sudden outburst. Mike, one of the soldiers marching ahead of you, came back to Flag.

“We’ve made it,” he reported with a hint of relief in his voice. “The mansion is right there. It doesn’t seem to be guarded.”

“We’ll see about that,” Flag muttered, forgetting about you for a moment. He quickly moved to the head of the column to see the mansion himself and adjust his plan accordingly. He was fed up with nasty surprises that seemed to be prepared to welcome them.

Taking a scope from Mike, he eyed the walls around the mansion. They were tall, but not secured with any wire or electricity from what he could tell. They wouldn’t be much of a problem to pass unless something was waiting on the other side.

“How does it look?” you asked, crouching next to him.

Flag handed you the scope. “Too pretty to be true.”

“I don’t like this.”

“Neither do I, but there’s no choice. Mike, get your men in 2 teams. Bravo is going to have our back here.”

“Is it a good idea? There isn't… many of us left.”

“Small groups will be harder to detect. Move your ass.”

Mike saluted, not arguing any further. That’s why you could never be a soldier - taking orders you didn’t agree with was simply not in your blood.

“What are you smiling about?” Flag frowned.

“Nothing. Just that even though I’m not paid with fresh steaming gov’s money, and will probably rot in Belle Reve for the rest of my days, I’m still more free than any of you.”

You patted his back before standing up from hiding.


	9. Chapter 9

The fence wasn’t much trouble. Flag went in first, jumping it with ease. High grass tickled your legs as you moved to Deadshot to help you up.

There wasn’t much of a difference on the other side - the same mud and forgotten, wild space. Only the trees have been completely cut out, showing the mansion in its full glory.

It also allowed you to notice the running creatures earlier. You cut through them easily. After dealing with so many on your way here, their moves became predictable. Their only advantage so far had been stealth and the absolute silence with which they moved. 

“I’m gonna have nightmares after this,” Deadshot murmured, kicking a body further. He and Flag still held their guns high, even though they proved useless in fighting the creatures. On the other hand, human guards must be hiding somewhere around the place, right?

The three of you moved slow, bending low to the ground, in the direction of the mansion. The thick curtains of rain made it harder to see details, but as you got closer, you noticed how old and ruined it looked. The other walls seemed green and cracked, probably because of the harsh weather. Some trash was laying in the yellow grass, along huge metal containers, now empty, and a pile of bottles. No lights were on.

You moved along one of the walls, heading to a big window. Flag peeked inside, but nothing seemed to be there. He gestured for Deadshot to come closer.

You watched the back of the formation as Deadshot worked on opening the window. Something was very off about this whole place. Why was no one there? The gunshots from the forest must have been heard from this place, someone should have been waiting for you. Did they all manage to escape already?

“Done,” Deadshot whispered, backing off to let Flag take a look.

“We’re going in,” Flag muttered on the radio before jumping inside, his gun at the ready.

Behind you, another group of 3 have made their way over the fence. The soldiers moved quietly, following your path to keep your backs safe.

You went in through the window, Deadshot close to you. You all agreed having you in the middle was a good idea, if you’ve met any more of the creatures.

“I don’t like this place,” you said quietly, looking around.

The mansion was devastated.

You’ve had your assumptions outside, but now that you were there, your fear only grew stronger. It was not how this whole mission was supposed to look like, and all 3 of you knew it.

Flag was tense too, and jumped at every little noise. Wind howled through the empty rooms, carrying dust and ripped papers. Some walls had been broken and laid in ruins. You couldn’t see it clearly, but you were almost sure you noticed claw marks in one of the rooms.

“This is bad,” Deadshot agreed from behind you, scanning the empty place.

“Shut up, both of you,” Flag scolded through gritted teeth.

You moved through corridors, searching for something, anything, indicating what had happened to this place. You didn’t find any bodies laying around, and because of the darkness and a thick layer of dust and dirt, you weren’t sure if there were any bloodstains around.

Flag thought of using a flashlight, because the little bit of light from windows was not good enough to feel comfortable, but dismissed that thought. Even though the mansion seemed empty, he had a gut feeling it wasn’t wise to tell anyone there were guests. Or food.

You reached a staircase that was even darker and colder. Shivers ran down your spine when you stared into unforgiving darkness.

Flag sighed deeply before turning the flashlight on. He wouldn’t dare to go into it completely blind, even if it meant telling whatever was waiting downstairs they were coming.

“Before I die, I want you to know, that I really hated every minute of working with you, Flag,” Deadshot stated, looking over you to the basement.

“I don’t know what I’d do without your input, Lawton…”

You pushed Flag away in the last moment after you caught a glimpse of a creature in the light.

It jumped over the last set of stairs and over you, hitting Deadshot in the chest, sending him flying back onto the floor.

You cut through its back, painting the walls red, and when it turned, you finished it.

Deadshot cursed, pushing it off him. Flag helped him up while you watched the stairs. Nothing seemed to be moving, but the lack of any sound the creatures made, was making it look much more disturbing.

“The hell were you doing there, Flag? Posing for pictures?”

“Not your business, Lawton. Better make sure you don’t go down with the next one.”

“I wouldn’t have to if you did your job right-”

You turned to them. “One more word and you’ll go down there alone.”

That made them shut up, but neither looked happy. Floyd dramatically swept the dust off his suit.

“Better think why would a creature be inside,” you told them before taking the first step down.

They didn’t answer, unwilling to put into words what they’ve all been thinking about since making it through the fence. Unfortunately, the mission had to go on, or Waller would show them exactly how merciful she could be. She wanted the scientist and everything he worked on, exclusively for herself, and if she couldn’t get it, then no one would.

Flag casted the light above your head, walking close behind you. You could hear him breathing next to your head. If you weren’t so tense and scared, you’d get flustered.

Finally, you reached a room at the end of a narrow corridor. The stench of something deeply rotten made it hard to breath. Your palms grew sweaty when you quickly checked your swords.

Flag pushed the door open. Your heart stopped for a moment after the light swiped through the\ big room.

Flag cursed violently.

“And there goes our mission.”


	10. Chapter 10

The view in front of you was difficult to take in without throwing up your last meal.

You’ve seen a lot of bodies during your career as an assassin, and they’ve rarely been a pleasant thing to look at, but this time felt different. You had no idea how much time the doctor spent in the basement, but it was unlikely he’d be of much help to Waller.

“We’ve got the doc,” Flag reported through the radio. “Dead.”

“Very dead,” Deadshot scoffed, walking further into the room. He’s been careful, flashing the light all around, the memory of a creature jumping on him still fresh.

You followed him closely. Finally, when he found a switch on the wall, strong, artificial light showered the scene from your newest nightmare.

The scientist you were supposed to find was laying down in what looked like a cage, bolted to the floor. He’d been half eaten, the rest of his flesh covering his bones, had started to rot and was covered in flies. Where his face used to be, a skull, stripped of flesh, opened its mouth in an echoing scream. You felt guilty for not remembering his name. It felt like the least that you owed him.

Flag closed thick, metal doors behind you, securing them with a metal pipe. The last thing he wanted was for more creatures to sneak in while you were checking the enormous space.

“I don’t understand,” he muttered, looking around puzzled. “He can’t be dead. He kept sending those creatures to protect his mansion since the first day we arrived.”

“To me, it doesn’t look like he was capable of doing anything in the past few weeks,” you judged the corpse’s state. “At least 3, maybe more. Look at the flies.”

“I’d rather not. It still doesn’t explain anything…”

Deadshot called you from the back of the long room. He was hidden behind many shelves, filled with documents, jars and boxes. A few desks had been shoved into one corner, monitors dark and dead. Loose papers and chairs laid abandoned on the floor.

You and Flag moved past them, circling around the cage with the remains. The stench was breathtaking.

Deadshot held up a plastic curtain for you. A cold shiver ran down your spine once you crossed it.

“This is not what I think it is, right?” you asked no one in particular.

“I wouldn’t be so optimistic…” Flag sucked the air loudly.

There were many more cages in this side, but they were very far from empty. Nothing moved inside of them, but it didn’t make it easier.

“This one is broken,” Deadshot gestured to a big one with its door laying on the floor a few steps away. There were a lot of stains around it, and you didn’t need to check to know it was blood.

Flag moved to a long desk on the left, flooded with a lot of sketches and notes, surprisingly untouched by anything that broke free there. He tensed again, looking through them quickly.

Deadshot ignored him, coming closer to other remains in the cages. Those were small and didn’t look much like a human, although some similarities could be spoken in the way bones connected. Sadly, whatever had been stored there, it had fallen prey to the creatures long ago.

“So that’s where he was making them,” you said, following Deadshot. It may be childish, but you really didn’t want to be alone in that place.

“And some of them got out,” Deadshot nodded grimly, his hands on his gun all the time. “That explains how the doc got killed. He tried to hide in a cage, but they got him and the others anyway. But how the hell did he create them in the first place…?”

“From people.”

You turned to face Flag. He was leaning heavily on the desk, like he needed support to stand. Even in the yellowish light of dirty lamps, he looked pale and sick. He looked at you with a hollow look before repeating.

“Those were all people.”

Deadshot pushed you aside, striding to look at the notes too.

“Flag, don’t you dare joke now, I know what people look like and those weren’t-”

“Don’t you remember Midway City?” Flag hissed. “All the good people and soldiers, turned to monsters by the witch, just like that, in a few moments? This is exactly like that, the only exception is that the doc breeded those creatures for years, polishing the final effect. But the first few objects were people. Normal people,” he showed Deadshot the notes, barely touching the paper, as if it was cursed. You understood him all too well.

Glancing over Deadshot’s shoulder, you’ve only seen a few pages and photos, but it was enough. You turned to Flag.

“You can’t let Waller get this. Look at me, Flag! Can you imagine her creating her own puppet monsters and releasing them whenever the government tells her to? Do you want this to be in the next Iraq or Vietnam? This is madness!”

He didn’t look at you, steadying his breath. His eyes were closed and he was thinking about something very deeply. You felt like you were losing him with every second. Like you were putting those monsters in the world yourself.

You grabbed his arm, desperate to get his attention back.

“Flag, be rational. We can’t let anyone know about this.”

“That’s right,” Deadshot came closer, lowering his voice. “Think about it. How many of those creatures could have escaped? I’d say no more than 3 could have fitted into that cage, and now there’s a plague. Just on our way here we’ve killed what, about a 20? Probably more and we have not a single clue how many more are there. We need to purge this place, not let Waller set up her own zoo.”

Flag still didn’t answer, stubbornly looking over your heads. He was gritting his teeth and seemed uneasy about that whole situation you’ve all been cast into. No one could have expected the mission to go south so quickly.

Deadshot huffed, anger rising in him. He didn’t like being ignored like that. You stopped him before he decided to throw hands.

“It’s his decision, Lawton. We’ve done our part. Didn’t we, colonel?”

He sent you a stern gaze, but nodded sharply. “Yeah, your part is over. I’ll make sure to include it in the report.”

That was all you would get from him and you both new that. After all, you were just a convict, and a very dangerous at that. You’ve finished your job and it was time to get back to your pretty little cell at Belle Reve.

“That’s bullshit,” Deadshot cursed, pacing nervously through the room.

You understood him all too well - if you only could, you’d wipe all the creatures out of this place, no matter how long it’d take you. This place was cursed and you wished you could burn it to the ground and sail the soil. But there were too many soldiers in the forest around you, who would shoot you down without hesitation if Waller decided you went rogue.

It was all up to Flag now, and he knew that too. He cursed, turning back to the notes. He switched the radio on.


	11. Chapter 11

The flames burned bright in the never ending, wet greyness. The mansion slowly disappeared into a thick curtain of smoke. Even from your position on a far hill, you saw it clearly.

You heard Flag come from behind you. He handed you a wet towel to wipe the mud and blood off your face.

“You sure nothing’s left?” you asked quietly. The soldiers were packing the camp, cars with heavy equipment driving to the main base and back.

“Nothing. Papers went down first. Such a shame the electric installation was so old and rusty…”

You hid a smirk. “True. It’s so sad we couldn’t save anything.”

Deadshot marched in with a bright grin on his face, his arms full of army rations. “Anybody order barbeque?”

You ate in silence, watching the flames consume all the evidence of the mad scientist’s experiments. You were exhausted and thirsty and the rations tasted like sandpaper, but your stomach was so tight with hunger it was thankful for every bite.

It took you the rest of the day to kill the last of the wandering monsters. The soldiers closed the perimeter around the mansion grounds, but the monsters were hesitant to run out and didn’t come close to it. For some reason, they preferred to stay close to their place of origin. It made them easier to hunt down, but filled you with uneasiness. You tried not to dwell on how much consciousness was left in them.

Deadshot belched loudly, pushing the wrappings into his pocket. “Alright, birds, we wheel up in ten. Try not to fall behind in this shithole, I’m not coming back for you.”

He left, happy to finally leave the always raining forest in the middle of nowhere he’s been stuck in for the past few weeks. Even his cell on Belle Reve didn’t seem so bad. At least it was dry and fairly monster-free.

Flag eyed you. “What are you think about so deeply?”

“I wonder if the fire won’t die out in this weather,” you nodded towards the dark sky.

The rain didn’t pour as violently as in the morning, but it was still annoying. The fog was starting to rise. No matter how often you’d wipe your face off, the wetness in the air would stop it from staying dry.

“Given the amount of gasoline we put in there, it’d be a miracle,” Flag chuckled. He fixed his cap lower on his eyes.

“Are you sure Waller won’t drag your ass for that?”

He shrugged, biting his lip.

“Can’t be sure with her. I’ll make sure the papers on this “accident” look clean.”

“I hope it’ll pass,” you nodded, looking at the mansion again.

“Since when do you care for the fate of simple troops?” he asked with amusement.

“I don’t like injustice in any form.”

“Weird habit for someone who chose to be evil.”

“You know my files, Flag. Give me one person I ended that didn’t deserve to be killed.”

He didn’t answer.

Choppers came soon, loud enough to be heard from a distance. You didn’t have much to pack, only the swords strapped to your back. They felt like another limb, integral to your body, but you took them off and handed to Flag before entering the chopper.

“It’s been fun,” you said instead of a goodbye.

He nodded,

“Does it mean if I get another suicide mission, you’re in?”

“Definitely,” you smiled genuinely.

A soldier cuffed your hands again, seating you on one side of the chopper. There were 3 guards this time to take you back to Belle Reve. Not much, but there wasn’t enough space for more.

You winked at Flag as the chopper went up.

“See you soon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That’s it, that’s the end of the longest series I’ve written so far! It’s been a ride, and I still love Flag, but I need a little rest from him. How did you enjoy this series?? What are your opinions? Please let me know!


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